Commonwealth Review: Team NI

Richard Mulligan

Northern Ireland boxers Kurt Walker and Aidan Walsh have both reached quarter-finals at the Commonwealth Games. Lisburn bantamweight Walker beat Australian Jack Bowen on a 4-1 decision with welterweight Walsh earning a unanimous win over Pakistan's Gul Zaib. Danielle Hill finished eighth in the women's 50m freestyle final. The 18-year-old's time of 25.56 was 0.24 seconds faster than her semi-final and left her 1.30 seconds behind Canada's bronze medallist Taylor Ruck. Watch Commonwealth Games live Hill's team-mates Conor Ferguson and Jordan Sloan both clinched semi-final spots. Ferguson finished second in his heat of the 50m backstroke in 25.79 seconds and was fourth fastest behind three Australians heading into the semi-finals at 11:19 BST. Sloan will be involved in 100m freestyle semi-finals at 11:59 after qualifying 12th fastest in 49.72 seconds with David Thompson (50.22) in 21st spot and Calum Bain (50.47) 22nd. Weightlifter Emma McQuaid was fourth in her event with gymnast Rhys McClenaghan 10th in the all-round final. Newry-born McQuaid was competing in the 63 kilogram division as her total of 182 left her 24 kilos behind South Africa's bronze medal winner Mona Pretorius. Northern Ireland gymnast Rhys McClenaghan in action in the all-round final on Saturday Gymnast Rhys McClenaghan will be a strong medal hope in Sunday's pommel horse final Competing in the all-round men's gymnastics final, McClenaghan posted the best pommel horse score of 15.050. While Olympic pommel horse champion Max Whitlock was not involved in the all-round decider, McClenaghan's score bodes well for Sunday's pommel horse final. Ewan McAteer received a late call-up for the all-round gymnastics final and finished up in 18th spot with his best score a vault of 14.000. Bantamweight boxer Walker, who won European bronze last year, will face Lesotho's Moroke Mokhotho in the quarter-finals on Tuesday with Walsh taking on New Zealand's Leroy Hindley in his last-eight bout on the same day. Northern Ireland's bowling struggles continue as men's pair McClure and Kelly exit Northern Ireland's disappointing bowls campaign in Gold Coast continued as men's pair Ian McClure and Gary Kelly exited following a 21-8 defeat by Wales and women's single Catherine Beattie also bowed out. Beattie needed to beat world number one and gold medal favourite Karen Murphy to keep her hopes alive but the Australian clinched a 21-17 victory. The Men's triples and women's fours earned wins but their hopes of qualification for the knockout stages had already been extinguished. Simon Martin, Martin McHugh and Andrew Kyle beat Scotland 16-14 with the women's four edging out England 15-14 for their only win in the group stage.

Ferguson finished second in his heat of the 50m backstroke in 25.79 seconds and was fourth fastest behind three Australians heading into the semi-finals at 11:19 BST.

Robyn Stewart

Sloan will be involved in 100m freestyle semi-finals at 11:59 after qualifying 12th fastest in 49.72 seconds with David Thompson (50.22) in 21st spot and Calum Bain (50.47) 22nd.

Weightlifter Emma McQuaid was fourth in her event with gymnast Rhys McClenaghan 10th in the all-round final.

Newry-born McQuaid was competing in the 63 kilogram division as her total of 182 left her 24 kilos behind South Africa's bronze medal winner Mona Pretorius.

Competing in the all-round men's gymnastics final, McClenaghan posted the best pommel horse score of 15.050.

While Olympic pommel horse champion Max Whitlock was not involved in the all-round decider, McClenaghan's score bodes well for Sunday's pommel horse final.

Ewan McAteer received a late call-up for the all-round gymnastics final and finished up in 18th spot with his best score a vault of 14.000.

Bantamweight boxer Walker, who won European bronze last year, will face Lesotho's Moroke Mokhotho in the quarter-finals on Tuesday with Walsh taking on New Zealand's Leroy Hindley in his last-eight bout on the same day.